Patrick McGoohan: Ice Station Zebra

[TheKenfig]

Great old film ; McGoohan is brilliant in it, as are the rest of the cast

[stevejailbirdmatt]

Good man. Ofcourse its Drake! Very clever and shrude of McGoohan to use the numeral 6 to avoid paying royalties to creator Ralph Smart (very 'smart'). All the clues are there from McGoohans publicity photo for 'Dangerman' in the resignation sequence to the reprisal of Potter played by Christopher Benjamin in the episode 'The Girl Who Was Death'. The outcome of the mission in 'Ice Station Zebra' can even explain Drakes reason for resigning! No one can bash a table like Pat so don't even try, Rock

[jmsbk12345]

...an insignificant difference perhaps. John Drake was the greatest secret agent Britain ever had.

[adebarde1]

McGoohan puts the stupid marine in his place.

[stevejailbirdmatt]

A fascinating and tantalising glimpse into an alterate universe in which Patrick McGoohan persues a career of blockbusters and becomes bigger than Connery, McQueen and even today's Clooney, all rolled into ONE! For looks, voice, presence, charisma, build and mannerisms no one can hold a candle to him. Pat will always live on. ( I always view this film as a feature length 'special' of 'Danger Man' with 'Davey Jones being a cover for 'John Drake' - check out the initials! )  BCNU...

[jmsbk12345]

@stevejailbirdmatt Absolutely true. Also when he resigned because he couldn't trust his bosses anymore, they tried without success to break him in the Prisoner. It's all John Drake, Danger Man.

[paullubliner]

@jmsbk12345: No, sorry. In reality it is as Patrick McGoohan made painfully clear, it's not at all related. It is but an allegory for all the ills of Western Civilization the likes of which completely surround us 46 years after his original concept became the Prisoner. Do view his interviews here on You Tube, they're most enlightening and fully explain what I have simply abbreviated.

[MrCombat1965]

I agree with the comments on a relatively weak script. According to TCM, the Dept. of Defense objected to the first two scripts and there had to be some rewrites. They lost some big name stars in the process, such as Gregory Peck who would have been great as the Commadore.

[monkeyboy4746]

I think the cast was great, but the screenplay was a little weak, they could have done a lot more with a better story.

[CharityBarnum]

Classic Patrick, love it! (Love him too, always...) Oh my gosh I still mourn this man :-(

[mikecleona]

Anything with Patrick McGoohan is pure gold. Of course, his gunning down that arrogant Jim Brown is a bonus. The other Marines needed the break.

[PeterFirthFan]

McGoohan was the only good thing about this crap movie.

[perfgeek]

as implausible as it sounds to have no-one on watch in the compartment, yes. movies are all about suspension of disbelief right?-)

[EmpireLS56KW]

I bet it was Jim Brown who sabotaged the torpedo room he was the only one nearest to it at all times. Theo it could have been Ernest Borgnine but he entered the torpedo room just before the accident.

[perfgeek]

The times I've watched the movie I've always presumed it was Borgnine's character.

[EmpireLS56KW]

Yeah it seems logical as Lt. Russell Walker seems to recognize Capt. Leslie Anders when he boarded the submarine when relieved of command. So yes the dodgy snooping Russian Boris Vaslov. He must have done it when the crew was asleep?

[Velikan121]

Presumed? He admits it (after hitting McGoohan).

[maureencora1]

What did Patrick McGoohan say to the KGB officer in Russian near the end of the movie?

[theironclads]

@maureencora1 I believe it translates to "Until we meet again."

[randomlaughingman]

It's not his real name because it's pronounced "throat-warbler mangrove".

Who's up for an escape attempt next Bicycle Day on a penny farthing? How about on Rover the weather-balloon? Roll up...

[snowgirl1052]

Patrick McGoohan was the real star of this movie...he elevated it.

[CharityBarnum]

@snowgirl1052 I completely agree, no disrespect towards the other actors, but Patrick did make the movie....

[jmsbk12345]

@snowgirl1052 Absolutely true. Patrick Mcgoohan was born to play John Drake.

[spacepatrolman]

@jmsbk12345 He turned down the role of james bond because he felt it was too immoral as secret agent man he never used a gun only psychological warfare

[paullubliner]

@snowgirl1052 Absolutely correct.

[paryshnikov]

RIP McGoohan!

[soldierguy22]

Writing on my sons account so, shhh!

I'm almost fifty years old, I saw this in REAL-TIME when smoking was allowed in theaters. Yeah, James Brown Jar Head attitude man, don't get smart with MI-6. Go bunk with your Commie pal after getting smart with the Captain. Overall, the best cold war flick made during the height of hatred between the US and Soviet Russia. McGoohan was perfect for this role. The actor playing the Soviet Colonel - DYNOMITE! I wanna kill 'em just thinking about it. EEEE EEE!!!

[ObamaRules4Ever]

This movie was fucking awful, without McGoohan it would have flopped.

[rainydayz19]

I ordered this movie yesterday on Amazon just to see McGoohan.

[clpsw7]

I think Jim Brown's part was a wasted part.

[torgman]

Agreed. He just stood there, looked menacing and barked a few orders. Admittedly, he looks like he was staining real hard not to run down McGoohan like he was a football field.

[PoloniusBent]

I think this clip conclusively proves that, at any time, anywhere, and completely at his leisure, Patrick McGoohan can kill you.

[torgman]

Let's see him face Jim Brown WITHOUT a gun :D

[NicoletteOlivier]

@PoloniusBent That is so true, and one of the funniest observations I have ever read!

[coelho1970]

do u hv the scene when the russian is demanding the capsule at the end and threatens 2 detonate it if not surrendered? if so can you post it?

[Lonette]

Jim Brown. THE MAN!

[jmsbk12345]

This is still John Drake.

[fernando5821]

Patrick McGoohan is SEXXYYYY.

[moorlarkin]

Please note, young Americans... An Englishman drinks tea, even underwater. ;)

[zeno57]

GOOD ONE,old chap,lol

[spacepatrolman]

Howard Hughes favorite movie great score by Michele Le Grande